The present invention broadly relates to timepieces and, more specifically, to a new and improved construction of a watch or clock, hereinafter generally simply referred to as a watch.
In its more specific aspects, the invention pertains to a watch containing a quartz-controlled watchwork or mechanism accommodated in a housing. There is also provided in the housing a display or display means covered by a viewing or sight window. Furthermore, the watch comprises at least one contact arranged internally of the housing and serving for accomplishing control functions. This contact can be actuated or activated from the base or floor of the housing.
It is known in this technology to provide quartz-controlled watchworks or movements with at least one contact arranged internally of the watch housing. This contact serves, for instance, to govern functions of the watch and/or to set the exact time at the watch.
In order to actuate such contacts there are usually provided pushers or keys or buttons which can be positively actuated without having to resort to any auxiliary expedients. Such pushers or pusher elements should possess predetermined minimum dimensions. Pushers or keys or buttons which protrude laterally, somewhat in the fashion of a conventional winding crown, from the watch casing or housing, for example at mens wristwatches, do not have any unpleasant or disturbing effect and also can be comparatively easily realized from the technological stand point. On the other hand, laterally protruding keys or buttons or the like not only are aesthetically disturbing or unsightly in the case of small and/or flat watchworks, such as those used for ladies wristwatches, but also because of the small size of the watch casing or housing, on the one hand, and the minimum dimensions of the pusher or pusher element, on the other hand, are difficult to accommodate within the watch and to actuate or operate.
Therefore, there has become know to the art a watchwork, especially although not exclusively, for ladies wristwatches, wherein the pusher, which serves to accomplish a number of functions, piercingly extends through the base or floor of the watch housing or casing. As a result, when the watch is worn the pusher is not visible. With this prior art design certain drawbacks as concerns the aesthetic appearance of the watch and difficulties of a technological nature are eliminated, yet such is only accomplished at the expense of other shortcomings or drawbacks. Thus, for instance, in the case of a wristwatch having a key or pusher at the base or floor of the watch such cannot be readily actuated during the time that the wristwatch is worn by the user. Additionally, the key or button is in continuous contact with the skin of the user and thus prone to soiling or contamination. If the key or pusher is flush with the outer surface of the base or floor of the watch housing or casing, the danger of soiling or contamination is less, yet in order to actuate the pusher there is required a pointed object.